What Kind Of Protective Coating Should I Use For My Home?

Owning your own home is considered to be an important part of your journey through life. It is mark of cultural status and that you are successful. There are approximately 9 million private dwellings in Australia although only about 70% of these are occupied by their owners, the rest are rented.

When you own your home you need to consider the ongoing maintenance. This is important to maintain the value of your home as well as to make it as pleasant as possible to live in. With the average house price now as high as $656,000 many homeowners cannot afford to move; this is why you need to look after what you already have.

The Protective Coating

A protective coating is a great way to make your house look fantastic. But it also serves to improve the insulation, reducing your energy bills. In addition the protective coating will protect the main structure of your home from the elements and can often be much easier to look after.

But which type should you choose?

Concrete

Concrete coating is often referred to as rendering. It has been popular in Europe for many years but is only now gaining a following in Australia. It involves creating a concrete mixture and applying it directly to the walls of your home. It can be left as a smooth finish or a stipulated one.

Once the concrete has dried you can paint it any colour you choose. All you’ll need to do is wash it occasionally and re-paint every 5 – 10 years.

Vinyl Cladding

This has a similar effect to wood but it never needs to be painted. You just need to blast it with a pressure washer occasionally.

Vinyl cladding can be supplied in a range of colours and you can fit it fairly easily yourself, if you wish. Of course, as with many of these coatings it is probably better to have a professional do it so that you can benefit from the warranty that goes with it.

Wood

Wood cladding is the traditional approach used by many Australians. It can last for between 5 and 20 years depending on how well you look after it. You can also paint it virtually any colour.

It is a great way of improving the look of your home and very easy to install yourself, if you choose.

The modern trend leans towards using environmentally friendly resources; this means your wood needs to come from a forest which is replanted as it is used.

Steel

An unusual finish that is becoming popular is powder coated steel. Because it is powder coated it is durable and can be acquired in a variety of colours. This is not the traditional corrugated tin look; instead it is a stylish finish which can fit into any landscape.

There are other options available. You should look at what coatings other houses in your area have and speak to a professional before you decide the best finish for your home.

I live in the U.S. There are so many different coverings, I wouldn’t know where to begin first! A couple of the coatings, I would have never thought of – so this is very interesting and important reading!
We have a brick home that is about 70 years old and it is still strong! We’ve lived in our home almost 23 years and we have no plans of selling. But when we had an addition put on our home, brick was too expensive. It is made of wood, but we have vinyl siding and boy am I glad we went with that! Our grandkids have thrown their rubber and plastic balls on it and the siding gives and takes the punishment, bouncing back in place! No dents like metal siding. It’s virtually maintenance free. I love it! Thank you for sharing!

We live in Florida, and my home has stucco finishing. We were hit pretty bad with hurricane Irma, and my house developed several cracks and water came through the walls, creating mold and various other issues. We ended up getting our home sealed with a protective coating for future hurricane seasons.